SSFL strips league champs for ineligible Derrel Garcia…St Benedict’s to fight decision

JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH AND JELANI BECKLES

AFTER being stripped of their 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premiership title on December 30, owing to the disciplinary committee’s findings that striker Derrel Garcia was an illegitimate player for four matches last season, the La Romaine Lions plan to appeal the decision.

Benedict’s principal Gregory Quan Kep and team manager Ravi Ramgoolam initially chose to refrain from commenting on the league’s decision to deduct 12 points (four match wins) from their unbeaten season tally, which resulted in them slipping from first to fourth.

However, when Newsday asked Kep, via WhatsApp, if they would appeal the committee’s ruling, he responded, “Yes.”

Newsday also spoke to SSFL president Merere Gonzales on the evening of December 31 asking if they had already received an appeal, to which he replied, “We wouldn’t know as yet because the information was conveyed to them on December 30, and they have a 72-hour period by which to appeal, so between now and Friday, we’ll see.”

The committee’s decision primarily penalised the south school for the four matches they won when Garcia was not eligible to play. Victories against San Juan North Secondary, Fatima, St Anthony’s College and Queen’s Royal College (QRC) were invalidated, and three points and three goals were awarded to the losing teams.

The new standings propelled second-placed Fatima (38 points) into winner’s row, with Presentation College San Fernando (35 points) second, St Anthony’s (33 points) third and Benedict’s (29 points) fourth.

The issue concerning Garcia arose when he tried to resume classes at Benedict’s after leaving to pursue an opportunity overseas.

The disciplinary committee’s report said, “The hearing focused on Garcia’s return to school after spending time overseas for an internship programme. His school attendance as a St Benedict’s College student was disrupted for the period August 2023 to May 2024 when he went to pursue the internship programme with CF Intercity International Academy based in Alacante, Spain.”

The committee’s findings revealed that Garcia represented the school before he attended classes at St Benedict’s.

It added, “On September 25, 2024, Derrel’s mother wrote to the principal of St Benedict’s College, Gregory Quan Kep, seeking Derrel’s reinstatement into the school, however, there was no evidence of a written response from principal Quan Kep to Miss Garcia’s letter. Nevertheless, attendance records from St Benedict’s College confirmed that Derrel’s first day attending classes for the September to December 2024 term, was Tuesday October 8, 2024.”

He was therefore ineligible to play against San Juan on October 2, Fatima on October 5, St Anthony’s on October 7 and QRC on October 9. Although he started classes a day before the QRC contest, the rule states that a player must be a student for 72 hours before playing.

Gonzales apologised to the public for the lengthy time it took the committee to make a decision, but said gathering information from the school and Ministry of Education was beyond their control.

“My apology comes with a level of understanding with it as it’s better to be safe than sorry in the context of ensuring that whatever decision was made, that it’s the best. Due process needs to always take precedent and due diligence in addressing a matter of this complex nature.

“While we (SSFL) can address matters directly pertaining to rules, regulations, guidelines of our competition re the constitution, there are some aspects of this matter that we needed the information, support and cooperation, which we got, of the Ministry of Education.”

He added that the SSFL is not responsible for checking an attendance book in school, neither would they have known if letters were written between a principal and ministry or vice versa, on a particular matter.

Gonzales said the SSFL had to rely on making requests from both entities to get information in a timely manner, and could “go no further” until they got that information.

“We’re not pointing fingers but sometimes with the quantity of work being done at a school or even a ministry, sometimes there’s a delay period for the information.”

Fatima crowned SSFL 2024 champions

St Benedict’s 12-point deduction elevated Fatima to SSFL premiership champions, their second in two years having won in 2023.

This new development saw them end their 2024 campaign with a stellar three from four titles up for grabs. They’ve now won the league, Coca-Cola Intercol north zone title and the NGC Cup.

Fatima also placed a credible second in the 2024 National Intercol final, ironically going down to the La Romaine Lions 2-0 in the final.

Strangely enough, after the loss to Benedict’s, and despite them already capturing two titles and finishing second in the league and Intercol, then-Fatima head coach Hutson Charles was sacked.

However, after the December 30 decision awarded him and his team another title, Charles said, “It’s always a blessing to win the league because in the beginning we set out to win four titles, and we fell short by one. We won three trophies and were second in the Intercol. It was a good season for Fatima.”

On his firing, Charles said it was a “surprise for everybody” and “they had their reasons.”

He still congratulated Fatima College, the players, staff and officials who all played a part in the team’s success this season.

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